Comments on: New Rhode Island governor calls for gay marriagehttp://www.pinknews.co.uk/2011/01/05/new-rhode-island-governor-calls-for-gay-marriage/
PinkNews Gay news, reviews and comment from Europe's largest lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans news serviceTue, 03 Mar 2015 20:16:00 +0000hourly1By: marjangleshttp://www.pinknews.co.uk/2011/01/05/new-rhode-island-governor-calls-for-gay-marriage/comments/#comment-157705
Thu, 06 Jan 2011 19:37:14 +0000http://www.pinknews.co.uk/?p=21945#comment-157705Matin, the only reason I think he might not veto is because he barely scraped home in the recent election having had nearly 70% of the vote in the last one and even more the time before. If he is persuaded that gay marriage is unpopular in New Hampshire and he wants to run for a 5th term as governor, he might sign it rather than risk the veto override which would make him look incredibly weak and place him on the wrong side of public opinion. Maybe he has more guts than that but the wrong step could end his career in New Hampshire politics.
]]>By: Martinhttp://www.pinknews.co.uk/2011/01/05/new-rhode-island-governor-calls-for-gay-marriage/comments/#comment-157675
Thu, 06 Jan 2011 17:15:12 +0000http://www.pinknews.co.uk/?p=21945#comment-157675marjangles – I would be surprised if he didn’t veto it. He is on record as saying that marriage equality is an important step for the state despite also being opposed to it (makes sense, ey?), so it would be much easier for him politically to let the Republcians take the heat for the repeal instead of having his signature attached to it. The focus for gay rights campaigners should be on persuading the moderate republicans in the New Hampshire House to vote against a veto override. It’s the most likely option available if things proceed in that direction.

If a repeal does happen it’s going to be like Prop 8 Mk II. There will inevitably be some sort of legal challenge to it, and God knows how long that will go on for.

]]>By: marjangleshttp://www.pinknews.co.uk/2011/01/05/new-rhode-island-governor-calls-for-gay-marriage/comments/#comment-157643
Thu, 06 Jan 2011 13:59:22 +0000http://www.pinknews.co.uk/?p=21945#comment-157643Oops, I meant a repeal! Silly me!
]]>By: marjangleshttp://www.pinknews.co.uk/2011/01/05/new-rhode-island-governor-calls-for-gay-marriage/comments/#comment-157642
Thu, 06 Jan 2011 13:58:28 +0000http://www.pinknews.co.uk/?p=21945#comment-157642Martin – I’m not entirely sure Lynch would veto an appeal since he has said previously that he is against gay marriage and he was very reluctant to sign the bill into law in the first place but if the Republicans have a veto proof majority then New Hampshire may well be in line for the cancellation of same sex marriage rights in the near future.
]]>By: Martinhttp://www.pinknews.co.uk/2011/01/05/new-rhode-island-governor-calls-for-gay-marriage/comments/#comment-157640
Thu, 06 Jan 2011 13:55:53 +0000http://www.pinknews.co.uk/?p=21945#comment-157640@marjangles
Governon Lynch would veto any repeal of gay marriage in New Hampshire, but the republicans in both chambers have a veto-proof majority.
Iowa is fairly safe for the forseeable future. The process to get a constitutional amendment on the ballot takes years, so it wouldn’t be until around 2014 that it could happen at the earliest, and the senate majority leader is still preventing a vote on it.
]]>By: Roberthttp://www.pinknews.co.uk/2011/01/05/new-rhode-island-governor-calls-for-gay-marriage/comments/#comment-157638
Thu, 06 Jan 2011 13:30:53 +0000http://www.pinknews.co.uk/?p=21945#comment-157638And now lets hear it from Cameron. Let him change his “consider” to “supporting” same-sex civil marriage and while he’s at it, allow straights to form civil partnerships in the interest of full equality for all if he and his party have truly changed and are committed.
]]>By: Riondohttp://www.pinknews.co.uk/2011/01/05/new-rhode-island-governor-calls-for-gay-marriage/comments/#comment-157607
Thu, 06 Jan 2011 11:42:17 +0000http://www.pinknews.co.uk/?p=21945#comment-157607A little state with a big heart!
Bravo!
]]>By: marjangleshttp://www.pinknews.co.uk/2011/01/05/new-rhode-island-governor-calls-for-gay-marriage/comments/#comment-157595
Thu, 06 Jan 2011 10:52:31 +0000http://www.pinknews.co.uk/?p=21945#comment-157595Good luck to him and since both chambers of the Rhode Island state government are overwhelmingly controlled by the Democrats he shouldn’t have much trouble getting this through.

Couple of things to worry about though – the Republicans took control of both houses of government in New Hampshire and may try to force repeal of gay marriage there. Gov Lynch is a Democrat and signed the bill into law in the first place so would probably veto but there’s no certainty of that given his squeaker of an election victory this time around.

Also in Iowa the Republicans took control of the House of Representatives and the governorship and the Democrats are only a few seats ahead in the Iowa Senate, only a couple of Dems need to support the Republicans in order to cause problems. Although in Iowa gay marriage was brought in by the courts, the Republicans could try to force through a referendum changing Iowa’s constitution to define marriage, thereby overruling the courts.

]]>By: Dannyhttp://www.pinknews.co.uk/2011/01/05/new-rhode-island-governor-calls-for-gay-marriage/comments/#comment-157582
Thu, 06 Jan 2011 09:39:29 +0000http://www.pinknews.co.uk/?p=21945#comment-157582Here Here
]]>By: Merlynhttp://www.pinknews.co.uk/2011/01/05/new-rhode-island-governor-calls-for-gay-marriage/comments/#comment-157524
Thu, 06 Jan 2011 01:43:22 +0000http://www.pinknews.co.uk/?p=21945#comment-157524Good for him. Nice to see someone standing up to the haters.
]]>By: Richardhttp://www.pinknews.co.uk/2011/01/05/new-rhode-island-governor-calls-for-gay-marriage/comments/#comment-157415
Wed, 05 Jan 2011 16:29:28 +0000http://www.pinknews.co.uk/?p=21945#comment-157415Brave man, both for the statement and the party change. He knows his political future is uncertain as a result. He’ll definitely receive praise from some organizations and be thoroughly demonized by the pubcons. It’s encouraging to see a politician do this when so many newly in office now are determined to do whatever it takes to be certain same sex marriage won’t (ever even) happen in the U.S.
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